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The Unfolding Word: The Story of the Bible from Creation to New Creation
Is the Bible one story, or many?
The Bible is more than a collection of isolated stories; it is a transformative, unfolding Word that shapes and changes its readers. Too often the Bible can be misunderstood or hard to comprehend. How does the Bible, with its various authors, genres, and styles, all separated by hundreds of years, tell a single story?
In The Unfolding Word , Zach Keele helps readers understand the narrative shape of the Bible and how each of its parts collectively tell one grand story.
The Bible is more than a collection of isolated stories; it is a transformative, unfolding Word that shapes and changes its readers. Too often the Bible can be misunderstood or hard to comprehend. How does the Bible, with its various authors, genres, and styles, all separated by hundreds of years, tell a single story?
In The Unfolding Word , Zach Keele helps readers understand the narrative shape of the Bible and how each of its parts collectively tell one grand story.
- GenresChristianSpirituality
350 pages, Paperback
Published December 16, 2020
23 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 29, 2020
Does the Bible present a cohesive story? In The Unfolding Word, Zach Keele shares the story of the Bible from creation to new creation. It’s an Old and New Testament survey told in the style of a grand story.
Keele traces the themes that are central to the narrative in the stories of the Bible, and what this book does exceptionally well is give an overview of the lesser-known Old Testament books. For instance, I found myself engrossed in the many stories found in Judges.
Theology is Everywhere
This book will reward a slow and careful read. While the stories are riveting, the book is packed and dense with information. Chapter 4: The Mosaic Economy could be a whole book in itself. Chapter 7: The Prophets, would be perfect to just review when preaching a sermon series or leading a Bible study in this genre. Theology is everywhere, and Keele speaks on sacrifice, purity, holiness, prophetic imagery, and typology.
Despite covering so much ground, Keele uses descriptive words and does not hold back from helping you feel the full force of the stories. He can write a flowing tapestry of words, as well as get his point across in a succinct sentence. Keele writes with no words being wasted, and he is a master at his craft.
Customs and Concepts
Keele helps explain some of the more difficult or troubling customs and concepts in the Bible. For instance, when talking about the conquest of Canaan, he mentions the Hebrew word “herem,” which translates to “devote to destruction.” He shows how it has a purifying function, foreshadowing the final judgment. He also notes how this does not mean that the presence of “herem” in the Old Testament does not give the right to endorse something like that today.
Interestingly, Keele is a scholar and able to present information from outside the Bible to help explain what is inside the Bible. For instance, he shows how knowledge of Egyptian gods reveals just what God was doing when going up against Pharaoh in the Exodus narrative. Keele shares how wisdom literature outside of Israel helps us read the book of Proverbs. The Proverbs are not moral tidbits – they are musings to make you think.
Rich Background and Rewarding Reading
Charts and maps are sprinkled throughout the book. Photos, timelines, and tables help us see the story. Every chapter ends with study questions to help digest the material and continue the conversation.
By the time you get to the chapter on the Gospels, you are already well aware of the rich background you have at your disposal. Keele still takes the time to set the stage for the Messiah, showing how the reign of Herod and Jewish life in the first century was a peculiar moment in history.
Slow and Fast Reading
Keele claims that the Gospels aren’t necessarily written chronologically. Rather, it was the custom to write with more thematic elements in mind. The Gospels are not travel journals. The Kingdom is a main theme of Jesus’ ministry, and it is proclaimed in the book of Acts with Pentecost and missions. A short stint on letter-writing opens the chapter on the Epistles, and a small exploration of Pauline theology closes the chapter.
This book will improve your understanding of God’s Word. You will appreciate the vast and varied parts of Scripture. Slow and fast reading of the Bible come together in this book. The hurdles of how we read, history, and ancient customs and cultures are overcome. Come and see how all of Scripture points us to Jesus.
I received a media copy of The Unfolding Word and this is my honest review.
Keele traces the themes that are central to the narrative in the stories of the Bible, and what this book does exceptionally well is give an overview of the lesser-known Old Testament books. For instance, I found myself engrossed in the many stories found in Judges.
Theology is Everywhere
This book will reward a slow and careful read. While the stories are riveting, the book is packed and dense with information. Chapter 4: The Mosaic Economy could be a whole book in itself. Chapter 7: The Prophets, would be perfect to just review when preaching a sermon series or leading a Bible study in this genre. Theology is everywhere, and Keele speaks on sacrifice, purity, holiness, prophetic imagery, and typology.
Despite covering so much ground, Keele uses descriptive words and does not hold back from helping you feel the full force of the stories. He can write a flowing tapestry of words, as well as get his point across in a succinct sentence. Keele writes with no words being wasted, and he is a master at his craft.
Customs and Concepts
Keele helps explain some of the more difficult or troubling customs and concepts in the Bible. For instance, when talking about the conquest of Canaan, he mentions the Hebrew word “herem,” which translates to “devote to destruction.” He shows how it has a purifying function, foreshadowing the final judgment. He also notes how this does not mean that the presence of “herem” in the Old Testament does not give the right to endorse something like that today.
Interestingly, Keele is a scholar and able to present information from outside the Bible to help explain what is inside the Bible. For instance, he shows how knowledge of Egyptian gods reveals just what God was doing when going up against Pharaoh in the Exodus narrative. Keele shares how wisdom literature outside of Israel helps us read the book of Proverbs. The Proverbs are not moral tidbits – they are musings to make you think.
Rich Background and Rewarding Reading
Charts and maps are sprinkled throughout the book. Photos, timelines, and tables help us see the story. Every chapter ends with study questions to help digest the material and continue the conversation.
By the time you get to the chapter on the Gospels, you are already well aware of the rich background you have at your disposal. Keele still takes the time to set the stage for the Messiah, showing how the reign of Herod and Jewish life in the first century was a peculiar moment in history.
Slow and Fast Reading
Keele claims that the Gospels aren’t necessarily written chronologically. Rather, it was the custom to write with more thematic elements in mind. The Gospels are not travel journals. The Kingdom is a main theme of Jesus’ ministry, and it is proclaimed in the book of Acts with Pentecost and missions. A short stint on letter-writing opens the chapter on the Epistles, and a small exploration of Pauline theology closes the chapter.
This book will improve your understanding of God’s Word. You will appreciate the vast and varied parts of Scripture. Slow and fast reading of the Bible come together in this book. The hurdles of how we read, history, and ancient customs and cultures are overcome. Come and see how all of Scripture points us to Jesus.
I received a media copy of The Unfolding Word and this is my honest review.
January 6, 2021
This book is an excellent guide to reviewing/understanding the Bible in its entirety. Keele offers great insights and illustrations that show the unfolding of redemption and overall continuity of Scripture. I highly recommend this book.
February 25, 2025
This is an excellent book worth reading and re-reading.
July 26, 2025
Keele writes with great skill to offer a quick summary of the Bible, yet manages to exposit great depth at the same time. It is a truly helpful book to tie together the whole story of the Bible!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews